Program helps locals live with elephants

Community care In December, IFAW China, the protection station and the rainforest foundation expanded their project to the Konggeliudui community in Dadugang township, Jinghong. After some field research, the conservationists also found that traditional embroidery practiced by a few senior residents, including an inheritor of the intangible culture heritage, has the potential to become a new source of income for villagers and cater to visitors as Konggeliudui is close to the Wild Elephant Valley scenic area, a major tourist attraction in Xishuangbanna. In April last year, IFAW China collaborated with Freshippo, also known as Hema, a direct warehouse shopping and grocery chain, to market honey from Daotangqing and another community in Xishuangbanna under a brand named Zero-Carbon Elephant-Friendly Honey. "The focus of all of our community projects has been to broaden local people's vision and empower them with new skills," she said.